The first Dolomites Last Loop was a great success. © Sportissimus

Dolomites Last Loop: No winner in the dramatic premiere

The first Backyard Ultra in South Tyrol came to a dramatic end at 3 a.m. on Whit Monday. On the 39th lap around the Nordic Arena in Toblach, after more than 260 kilometers (with over 3300 meters of elevation gain), the last two remaining extreme athletes, Marco Matteazzi from the province of Vicenza and the Austrian Raphael Stanic, dropped out, leaving no winner. 38 laps were therefore counted.

25 May 2026

From: pm

Since Sunday afternoon at 16 p.m., when Alexander Rabensteiner from Klausen dropped out after 28 laps as the third-to-last athlete and last South Tyrolean ultrarunner in the sweltering heat, Marco Matteazzi and Raphael Stanic had been locked in a fierce duel. Hour after hour, the two youngsters – Matteazzi is 25 years old, Stanic 22 – ticked off the 6,7-kilometer loop with its approximately 85 meters of elevation gain at the Nordic Arena in Toblach. Each lap took them just over 50 minutes. In the remaining few minutes, the duo received refreshments from their team and used the time to recover from the ever-increasing strain.

The situation became increasingly tense after midnight. It was now clearly evident that both ultra-athletes had been on the move for a day and a half. On loop number 39, Stanic injured his foot and had to drop out. Matteazzi showed great sportsmanship, helping his injured competitor to the finish line, but as a result, he was unable to complete the distance within the allotted time. After more than 260 kilometers and over 3300 meters of elevation gain, the Dolomites Last Loop adventure came to an end for the duo – without a winner. Matteazzi, who comes from Altavilla Vicentina, is a member of the Italian national team, and will compete in the Backyard Ultra World Championships in October, was pleased with his new personal best of 38 completed laps (previously 37).

The runners put on a great performance © Sportissimus

101 endurance athletes want to know
The Dolomites Last Loop began on Saturday at noon under bright sunshine and midsummer temperatures with 101 participants. The first endurance athlete dropped out after the first loop. By 20 p.m., when the 9th lap began, 70 athletes were still participating. At that point, they had each covered almost 54 kilometers and climbed around 700 meters. However, as night fell, the number of participants dwindled. The top female participant was Monika Rabanser, who had organized a fundraising campaign for South Tyrolean cancer support and raised over 3000 euros. She completed 19 laps (127,3 km) – one more than ultra-athlete Tanja Plaikner (120,6 km).

Matteazzi was the best among the men. © Sportissimus

Besides Matteazzi and Stanic, six athletes persevered for 24 hours in Toblach, covering 100 miles (160,8 kilometers) in the process. These included Egon Tauber from Dietenheim and Marc Slanzi from Leifers, for whom the competition ended after a full day, as well as Arnold Hiller from Afing (27 laps) and Alexander Rabensteiner from Klausen, who has won the South Tyrol Ultrarace four times.

The organizers are satisfied

Although there was no winner at the premiere, Gregor Sieder – who brought the Backyard Ultra format to South Tyrol – and organizing committee president Gerti Taschler of the Toblach Sports Committee were very satisfied. “The athletes’ performances were astonishing. We were particularly pleased that so many female endurance athletes accepted the Dolomites Last Loop challenge.”

By night and by day: Numerous runners persevered for a long time. © Sportissimus

Also worth highlighting is the fact that there were no major accidents and the athletes were able to return home exhausted but healthy. The feedback from the participants was overwhelmingly positive. We would like to thank our team and our partners who made this event possible in the first place. We already have some ideas for the next edition in 2027,” the duo said after a weekend that will be talked about for a long time to come.

This is a Backyard Ultra

The Backyard Ultra is a format that has recently gained enormous attention, partly due to social media. Runners are pushed to their physical and mental limits: At the start of each hour, a 6,7-kilometer lap must be completed within the following 60 minutes. Once the minute hand has completed a full rotation on the clock, the next lap begins. This continues until only one runner remains. If that person completes the final lap before the hour expires, they are declared the winner.